Lawyer Warns Of Dog Bite Trauma

A leading serious injury lawyer has called for better awareness of the trauma and distress that animal bites can cause, after a two-year-old boy was left needing 200 stitches following an attack.

Joshua Mann underwent emergency surgery at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital after being bitten on the face at his grandparents’ farm near Cheltenham at the weekend. The dog, which the youngster had been stroking before the attack, has since been put down.

Katrina Elsey of Irwin Mitchell, who specialises in such cases, suggested that this latest incident is a prime example of how people who suffer dog bites can often find their lives dramatically affected by such incidences.

"It can be difficult for people of all ages to fully recover from the mental and physical anguish caused by such attacks, but the trauma is bound to be particularly difficult for someone so young," she explained.

"While serious injury cases can vary, it is often vital for clients to receive support in relation to long-term care and rehabilitation as they look to adjust to life in the aftermath of the problems they have experienced."

According to the NHS, dog bites are most common in youngsters, particularly boys aged between five and nine.